Roczen Races back to Angel Stadium for Third Stop of Monster Energy Supercross - After two races into the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, RCH/Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Factory Suzukis Ken Roczen has established a nine-point lead in the season standings over Red Bull KTMs Ryan Dungey as racing action returns to Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California this Saturday night. Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/KTMs Jessy Nelson, who won the season opener in Anaheim, leads the way in the 250SX Class over Yamalube/Star Racing/Yamahas Cooper Webb. Saturday nights race will air live on FOX Sports 1 at 7:00 p.m. PST/10:00 p.m. EST Live coverage from Phoenix will also be available on the authenticated FOX Sports Go app. Media Day will take place Thursday, January 15, at Noon, featuring Red Bull KTMs Ryan Dungey, Dean Wilson, and Justin Hill, and Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/KTMs Jessy Nelson, Shane McElrath, and Darryn Durham On Saturday, January 17, fans can Log on to SupercrossLiveto watch Race Day Live with Jim Holley and Andy Bowyer from 12:50 p.m. PST/3:50 p.m. EST to 4:50 p.m. PST/7:50 p.m. EST Some key insights to watch heading into this Saturday nights race include: Eli Tomac became the 58th different 450SX Class race winner. Only 10 times in Monster Energy Supercross history has a first time winner followed their first-ever win with a win. KTM or Husqvarna have never won the second race in Anaheim, can Anderson or Dungey give these brands their first-ever win? There have been five different riders to make the 450SX Class podium, #WhosNext? The winner of the opening race in Anaheim has gone on to win the second Anaheim seven times, can Roczen make it eight? Chad Reed can tie Jeremy McGrath on the all-time start list with 172 this weekend. Roczen and Nelson have never held the points lead in their respective racing divisions; can they extend it this weekend? While Roczen put his name in the #WhosNext hat, he was joined by GEICO Hondas Eli Tomac, who scored the first win of his 450SX Class career, as the first two winners of the 2015 season. Tomac, a former 250SX Class Champion, traded positions with early race leader Roczen before making a pass that would stick on Lap 8. Once in the drivers seat, Tomac eventually won by a 6.4 second margin of victory. At the first race in Anaheim, Tomac finished 20th and with his win in Phoenix he moved up to sixth in the point standings, a 14-position advancement. That was one of the [most fun] races of my life and to come away with a win is a cherry on top, exclaimed Tomac, who crashed twice in last weekends Main Event en route to a 20th-place finish. To beat a guy like Ken [Roczen]; we respect each other and race each other hard. Its just great. We definitely put our biggest effort into this [after last weekends misfortunes], and this is what he came out here to do. The most consistent rider of the season, Roczen finished comfortably in second place and has his sights set on his second win in Anaheim. I got off to a fast start but overall I didnt feel the greatest on Saturday, said Roczen. I put it down the first 10 laps [or so], but then Eli got me. He rode better than me, but Im very happy to have finished on the podium. Well do some work this week and come out next weekend looking to get a good start, ride smart and come away with another good result. Autotrader/Toyota/Yamahas Weston Peick rode the best race of his 450SX Class career, holding off Dungey for the number-three position until Lap 17. Peick is currently fifth in the season standings, just one point out of fourth place. Webb, who finished seventh at the season opener, captured the first win of his young career in Phoenix. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racings Zach Osborne led the field after capturing the SupercrossLive Holeshot Award but GEICO Hondas Malcolm Stewart assumed the lead in the early stages before being passed by Webb on Lap 4. I got an awesome start and that helped a lot, said Webb, who won in his 11th career start. Phoenix was one of my favorite races last year, so to get it done here feels awesome. It feels good to [move into] second in points, but Ill feel better to get that red plate [as the championship leader]. Although Stewart fell short of earning his first 250SX Class win, second place was the best finish of his career, and he sits eighth in the points standings after finishing a disappointing 22nd at the season opener. In what appears to be a breakout season for Nelson, he has finished 1-3 in the first two races of 2015 and has a six-point cushion in the championship standings. It was great getting my second [career] supercross podium and two [podiums] in a row to start the season, said Nelson. I felt great; I just had to battle there for six or seven laps. Ill just need to work on some things this week. We have a six-point lead and still have the red plate [as the points leader], so all in all its a good night. Four-time AMSOIL Arenacross Champion Tyler Bowers sits third overall in season standings after a fourth-place finish in Phoenix. During last years 450SX Class Main Event in Anaheim, Discount Tire Racing/TwoTwo Motorsports Chad Reed scored his first win of the season and his fourth-ever win in Anaheim. In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Cole Seely won his first race of the season, which gave him a surge of momentum that ultimately carried him to earning second place in the championship. Reed and Jeremy McGrath are tied on the all-time 450SX Class win list with eight apiece. Ivan Tedesco holds the all-time 250SX Class win record with five. 450SX Class Season Standings Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki, 47 Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 38 Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna, 37 Trey Canard, Edmond, Okla., Honda, 33 Weston Peick, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha, 32 Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 30 Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 26 Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Yamaha, 25 Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 22 Jake Weimer, Wildomar, Calif., 22 Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki, 22 Western Regional 250SX Class Season Standings Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., KTM, 45 Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha, 39 Tyler Bowers, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki, 38 Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Husqvarna, 36 Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM, 33 Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha, 32 Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM, 28 Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda, 23 Zach Bell, Cairo, Ga., Husqvarna, 22 Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki, 20 Michael Leib, Menifee, Calif., Honda, 20
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 04:44:52 +0000
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